Your Ultimate Spring and Summer Denim Styling Guide

We tapped our senior creative director George Antonopoulos for his top tips.

Denim, a fabric rich in history, holds a special place in closets worldwide— and one brand always reigns supreme: Levi’s®. Established more than 170 years ago in San Francisco with the launch of their original blue jeans tailored for rugged workwear, Levi’s® has evolved into an iconic fashion essential.

Today, denim has become more than just functional; it’s a symbol of self-expression adored by fashionistas and practical wearers alike. It’s expanded beyond classic jeans—from button-ups and jackets to bustiers and vests, Levi’s® denim offerings are more versatile than ever, so much so that you can centre an entire wardrobe around various pieces.

With spring in full swing, we tapped our senior creative director, George Antonopoulos, to share his head-to-toe denim fashion tips for the warmer months ahead. From silhouettes and colour washes to accessories and tactical layering, here’s everything you need to know to up your denim game.

@fashionmagazine Ready to level up your denim game? Here are our top tips for styling denim like a pro this season. #AD ♬ original sound – FASHION

Embrace the Canadian tuxedo

For this look, Antonopoulos styled fashion content creator Shara Zaman in a ’90s trucker jacket and baggy dad jeans. To freshen up the combo, he made sure to pop the jacket collar and only fasten the top button to ensure the layered white tank pops underneath. He also accessorized with a sleek stitched black leather belt with silver hardware and matching rings and hoop earrings. “The unexpected fastening of jackets is totally a vibe.”

Wearing denim-on-denim, widely known as a Canadian Tuxedo, used to be viewed as a faux pas but has now staged a triumphant comeback. “It immediately gives off a cool vibe,” says Antonopoulos. “It’s an instant fashion statement.”

But like anything fun, it can be easy to go overboard. Antonopoulos recommends sticking with three denim pieces per look at a maximum and only incorporating one distressed piece for a put-together look. If you want to rock a cool, ripped denim jacket, pair it with a cleaner pair of jeans, or vice versa.

The baggier, the better

This season, it’s all about embracing the relaxed and effortlessly chic vibe of baggy denim. Opt for oversized jeans or denim shorts paired with looser denim shirts or tops for a cohesive and trendy look. Or alternatively, balancing the volume of baggy bottoms with more fitted or cropped denim pieces to maintain a flattering silhouette. Antonopoulos encourages everyone to purchase and style pieces that will make you look and feel your best. 

“Denim is very personal, and you have to find your right fit and stick with it,” he says. “You can be more fashion-forward and follow the trends, but if that doesn’t work for you, go with your gut and with what you think best suits your overall body shape and vibe.”

With the current Western revival (thanks, Beyoncé), bootcut jeans have also made a major comeback. Antonopoulos highlights them as a closet essential, along with the ever-popular ’90s baggy silhouette. 

Tip: Whichever style you go with, be sure they’re the right length to avoid excess bunching on the bottom.

Be strategic with your washes

For this look, Antonopoulos styled content creator Onix in Levi’s® unique Union Engineer Coat and paired it with the tried and true, non-stretch 517 Bootcut medium-wash jeans and black and white loafers. “I want to style everything with a loafer right now; they’re the new sneaker. I also loved pairing them with this collarless denim cardigan/jacket that has a cool collegiate vibe.”

Hello, shorts and mini cowboy boots. For this look, Antonopoulos had fun with the Western trend by pairing a dark denim button-up shirt with loose dark denim knee-length shorts and camel-toned short cowboy boots (which paired beautifully with a brown leather belt). “You automatically assume that boots would be paired with a long pair of jeans, but we decided to pair them with shorts just to be unexpected, we also went with gold hardware because it looks better with the darker denim.”

When done correctly, mixing and matching different washes of denim can add dimension. Antonopoulos favours sticking to relatively similar hues for uniformity. “It gives a more refined and elevated look when your washes are more or less matching,” he says.

Bring on the accessories

For this chic look, Antonopoulos paired a mid-rise, vintage-inspired a-line denim skirt with an oversized striped shirt, little white socks and pointed red heels. Inspired by the resurgence of denim skirts, Antonopoulos says he wanted to lean into the trend and make this outfit feel fresh and new. “Plus, socks and heels are such a thing right now, they make the whole outfit cooler,” he says.

Have fun with your accessories. Antonopoulos notes the importance of matching your outfit hardware which often includes buttons, belts and jewellery. While this isn’t a hard and fast rule, lighter denim often looks better with silver and darker denim with gold, so keep that in mind when planning your accessories for your look. When it comes to picking the right belt or style, Antonopoulos is a fan of a looped leather belt so there’s excess leather coming from the side for an extra edge. 

Incorporate layers and textures

For this matching combo, Antonopoulos took a light-wash ’90s trucker jacket and tucked it into loose low-rise light-wash distressed jeans, sleek black pointed boots and silver hardware. “You don’t also need to wear a belt, especially in this case,” he says. “We tucked the denim jacket into the pants instead of leaving it overtop, which looked really new.”

You have to love an overalls moment. Antonopoulos paired this light-wash denim jumpsuit with his new favourite pair of black and white loafers and a staple white tank. “Throwback to the ’90s, all of these iconic looks are happening again—overalls are back.”

Incorporating different fabrics and textures is a must with denim looks. A white t-shirt or tank is a staple for a reason, it pops and instantly ties everything together. Antonopoulos favours layering with a simple cardigan, button-up or blazer to class it up. This step is also pivotal when you’re deciding whether you want to dress an outfit up or down, depending on the occasion. 

Think outside the box

For these looks, Antonopoulos got extra creative by pairing this denim crop bustier with loose low-rise jeans and pointed denim heels, along with this white knit collared unisex shirt, ripped boot-cut jeans and classic heeled black boots. “Denim pieces don’t always have to be traditional pieces such as a jacket and pants; you can have newness for more unexpected pieces like this denim bustier top.”

Get creative and consider unexpected styling choices to level up your looks. Try layering denim shirts under jackets or experimenting with unique buttoning techniques to add visual interest and personality. The trucker jacket, for instance, can even be worn under other jackets for added dimension. For a wardrobe refresh, Antonopoulos also recommends levelling up your denim collection by investing in timeless staples like jeans, jackets and an oversized shirt, as well as unexpected pieces like jumpsuits, skirts, bustiers. 

Click here or scroll below to elevate your denim collection and shop our Levi’s® looks above.

Photography by Nick Merzetti

Videography by Shayne Gray